Although difficult to assess, the probability of a hole-in-one shot is very low, and is often estimated at 1 in 12,500 shots (0.008%). Commonly, a prize is offered during golf tournaments, known as scrambles, to a golfer that achieves a hole-in-one. These tournaments are special circumstances and not where the majority of hole-in-ones take place, as the vast majority of hole-in-ones happen during normal play. These shots are often not witnessed by anyone that is not in that particular golfer's party. In most cases there are no hole-in-one prizes offered because (1) no one is monitoring the play, as would occur in a scramble; and (2) it is not part of a tournament or special occasion where the sponsors provide a reward for hitting a hole-in-one.
Others in the past have provided systems and methods for monitoring the occurrence of a hole-in-one. One example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,140, incorporated herein by reference, which describes a system in which a user can engage a coin-operated machine prior to taking their golf shot in order to win a prize in the event of a hole-in-one. The downside is that such events are so rare and the chances of winning so low, players are unlikely to make the commitment to pay the fee before the fact. Concomitantly, the prize will remain low and further discourage participation in the program.
Accordingly, a need is identified for systems and methods that strike the correct balance between the risk to the golf course of providing a reward for a particular shot, such as a hole-in-one, and the reward to the golfer for participating in a contest offering such rewards.